Wind farms paid £600k

Published on 24/09/2012 12:00

WIND farms in Scotland were paid almost £600,000 to not produce green energy due to an inbalance in energy production last week.

The National Grid admitted that enough energy to power 1500 homes for a year was lost on September 14, with the largest compensation payout going to the Crystal Rig II 60-turbine site in East Lothian. Owners Fred Olsen Renewables were paid £250,000 in compensation as a result along with five other sites north of the Border.

The National Grid said it was necessary to ask some wind generators to come off line, with compensation coming through customers’ electric bills, but that only one per cent of energy was lost last year.

Tories and Communities Against Turbines Scotland said it was evidence the market was at “saturation point”.